First camera samples from the Motorola DROID Turbo

posted by John V. / Oct 28, 2014, 12:02 PM

There’s already a lot of buzz and excitement for the Motorola DROID Turbo, mainly because it’s one of the beefiest spec’d smartphones to ever come from Motorola. Naturally, the specs alone places it in an elite crowd, but there’s something that we’re very excited about – its 21-megapixel camera!

In the past, the Moto X’s camera seemed formidable on paper, the results, however, show us that its quality is rather underwhelming. Quite simply, it can’t compare to the stunning and sharp compositions delivered by other highly-esteemed smartphones in the space – like the Apple iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung Galaxy Note 4, and LG G3.

Interestingly, things are looking up for the Motorola DROID, just because it’s packing along an immense 21-megapixel camera. Of course, we have to be mindful that numbers alone don’t dictate quality, but it’s just comforting to know that Motorola spared no expense in outfitting the DROID Turbo with something impressive on paper. We’ve taken a few samples quickly, so you can be the judge on how it looks. We’ll of course be putting it through a barrage of testing, to see whether or not its camera has the guts and quality to make it a standout hit in the crowd.

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 12:51 PM 3

Posts: 205; Member since: Jun 30, 2014

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 4:06 PM 0

Posts: 199; Member since: Oct 21, 2014

Im disappointed. 3 and 6 look terrible for what they should be. That is the problem I see happen on this site a lot. The photo takers don't have much skill when shooting with the respected handset, sadly.

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 12:33 PM 14

Posts: 724; Member since: Jun 10, 2014

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 1:04 PM 0

Posts: 6474; Member since: Jan 28, 2013

Except the lowest common denominator is the Nokia Lumia line. Everything else except the camera is so bad that they are not mentioning. If it was just about the camera, we would technically ignore mobile phones altogether and start naming DSLR's.
Ignoring the Lumia phobes is perfectly justifiable because no one wants them as a phone or windows phone as an operating system.
BB10 has the best keyboard possibly and the best business features but I am sure you would have no problem if they ignored the Z10 in a best software keyboard article.
Ask yourself honestly if you would have a problem if they didn't mention the Z10 in a software keyboard article? I am 99.99999999% sure that you wouldn't give two s**ts if they didn't mention. Now take that feeling of uninterest and multiply it by a thousand, that's how much people care about the Lumias and the cameras.

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 3:02 PM 2

Posts: 724; Member since: Jun 10, 2014

Right, here's a few comments to your post...
First, I like the Lumias. I like WP. Claims of "noone likes them or cares" simply show off your ignorance, so stop it. Lots of people do like them. More people like Android and iOS. Or at least they think so; most users of said OSs I talk to have absolutely no clue about alternatives. But that's all neither here nor there; this is a comparison of smartphone camera capabilities, and they've left out the best. Even if you personally don't like WP or the Lumias, you should be interested in why the competition can't compete in this field.
Second, how important is software keyboard to people? Do you see lots of articles about software keyboards in the media? Do software keyboards matter much in 30 years, when you're looking back at your life? I'll tell you what; if I actually DID care about software keyboards, and BB actually HAD the best in the business, then yes, I'd expect to see them mentioned every time the subject popped up in an article.
Again, I focus on quality rather than quantity - more people ought to, IMO...

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 3:22 PM 2

Posts: 1693; Member since: Aug 18, 2013

Low quantity=/= high quality.
And don't call Android and iOS users clueless about other alternatives when WP fans only use stuff which has Nokia or Microsoft brand in it. Many of them actually don't change the default search engine on IE to Google.

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 3:45 PM 4

Posts: 724; Member since: Jun 10, 2014

Low quantity does not equal high quality, no; no one said so. Please reread my post and try again, this time with a bit more effort.
The Android and iOS users I refer to were clueless. Again, reread my post and try harder.
As for search engine, I use both. Depending on the subject, they both have their strengths. How many search engines do YOU use? But as before, that's neither here nor there in an article about smartphone cameras. Where the 808 and top Lumias STILL set the standard.

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 5:11 PM 1

Posts: 4974; Member since: Mar 04, 2010

The only software keyboards BB had was on the Storm series (which drove me to Android) and the recent Z and Q series. What you're referring to is hardware keyboards, not software.
And in 30 years, I doubt anyone would care about any phone period, let alone a specific part of it.
Nokia does make tremendous cameras, but that's one feature of the device. If the rest doesnt suit my needs, I'd be better off getting a point and shoot that is pocketable and in reality is as capable and as good of quality as a Nokia smartphone's camera. Now if Nokia does what is being speculated and comes out with an Android phone, with the same quality camera as on their Lumia line, I will definitely give them consideration. But I'm not going to go with something solely based on one feature of it when the others don't fit my needs.
You want to talk arrogance, what about the notion that the only reason that someone doesn't like company A or B's products is that they don't know any better, can't afford it, or are just "haters"? I could afford most any of the devices out currently, but I chose Android because it fit my specific needs, not because it was the only option available to me. Arrogance is believing you know people's needs better than they do off of some internet posts. I'm not going to tell anyone what they should use. I may tell then my thoughts and let them make their own decision, but I'm not arrogant to think I know what's best for everyone because it's what is best for me.

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 3:51 PM 2

Posts: 724; Member since: Jun 10, 2014

"And in 30 years, I doubt anyone would care about any phone period, let alone a specific part of it."
Have a look at your photos in 30 years and tell me you'll be happy with mediocre. And if you truly are, well then this discussion isn't even for you; it's about camera quality after all...
As for your diatribe about arrogance, please reread my post (and those of your supremely arrogant fellow droid users!). I was referring to personal experience, and comparing it to the gut-reactions of obvious fanboys on this board, who very clearly equalled large quantity with high quality, and used it as their sole argument. Android may indeed be the best for you, but expecting every other normob Android or iOS user to be equally assured is ridiculous, and trying to convince yourself that all of them pass on WP because they have thoroughly weighed the pros and cons is naive.

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 5:21 PM 0

Posts: 4974; Member since: Mar 04, 2010

The old photos I deal with are from further back than 30 years ago. We've got photos here from the 1930s to present. The point of a photo isn't to show how clear each detail is, it's to remind us of something that happened in the past. As long as I can tell who the person is, I doubt I'm going to care how sharp the picture is.
And the same can be said for people who go with Apple or WP. Do you think every single person who has WP has carefully weighed the pros and con's? Maybe the WP they have was on sale, maybe a salesman steered them toward it. You make it sound like anyone who takes the time to carefully weigh the differences will go with WP. When you mentioned every other normob (what word is that supposed to be) you talked about Android and iOS users. If you were trying to be objective, you'd say people, or include WP users in there as well, unless you truly believe that every person who chooses WP does so through careful research. If you actually do then I wouldn't be so quick to call others naive.

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 7:12 PM 1

Posts: 327; Member since: Aug 15, 2014

I agree with your statement. But all the Android or iOS or WP fans are not like you. See the lines from Taters " no one wants them as a phone or windows phone as an operating system." He has generalized that no one prefer WP phones. But I prefer any OS than Android because of my experience with Android. But that is personal preference. I can't expect the same from anybody as you said.

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 7:46 PM 0

Posts: 6474; Member since: Jan 28, 2013

Okay no one with a clue likes Lumias and Nokia then. And a lot of people look at the keyboards over a camera. You know, I type tons of text messages, what's app messages, and emails a day. I maybe take a picture like 5 times a week. So yeah.....
As for you wanting them to mention bb10....I call BS. If I got one of the phonearena editors to do a keyboard article and not mention the Z10, I would bet good coin that you wouldn't even notice let alone complain about it in the comment section.
Expecting editors to cater to everyone is ridiculous. They have to leave something out. It is an article, not a PHD paper. Them leaving out Nokia is perfectly acceptable just like it was perfectly acceptable that they left out the K zoom and the lumix phone. Only ridiculous Nokia fan boys complain about it. Live with it.

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 4:17 PM 1

Posts: 724; Member since: Jun 10, 2014

Ever tried actually arguing your point instead of just calling your adversary names? It'll do wonders for your credibility, of which you have next to none right now...
How many keyboard-related articles are there, here or elsewhere, compared to camera-related articles? I rest my case.
Calling BS are you? Please reread, and note the "if". That's right, I really DON'T care about the keyboard.
I'm not expecting editors to cater to my every need; I expect them to make relevant observations and comparisons; right now the top Lumias and even the aging 808 beats the crap out of the competition, and a relevant question in an article focusing on cameras would be to ask why the device in question falls short; not whether it's minimally better or worse than the other mediocre cameras...
The K Zoom? Good camera, but ultimately in a completely different league, physically, and so not quite relevant.

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 5:45 PM 0

Posts: 6474; Member since: Jan 28, 2013

"I expect them to make relevant observations and comparisons"
The Lumias and Nokia aren't relevant to the majority of people. There you go. Thank you.
"The K Zoom? Good camera, but ultimately in a completely different league, physically, and so not quite relevant."
Again. No one wants to include the Nokia's because they have these ugly humps that they might as well be in the same category as the k zoom and the lumix. Yes the humps aren't as pronounced but they are certainly in a different league than the Note 4 and iPhone.

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 5:57 PM 1

Posts: 3282; Member since: Nov 15, 2013

wow... well done Taters, your comments and reasoning about lumias is good. I agree with you, nokia/microsoft is not relevent in general catagory. Note 4 is the best camera phone in general catagory to use as a referece point... if we start pleasing everyone then someone will say include lumias, include lumix & k zoom, someone may say include dslr as a reference point(which will be unfair with smart phones), someone may say include hubble telescope to shoot the galaxy

posted on Oct 29, 2014, 2:04 AM 0

Posts: 4974; Member since: Mar 04, 2010

"Yeah, lowest common denominator is veeery important; who cares about quality?!?"
"Ever tried actually arguing your point instead of just calling your adversary names? It'll do wonders for your credibility, of which you have next to none right now..."
From the looks of things, maybe you shouldve taken your own advice. Calling people's choices the lowest common denominator is a very subtle way of calling them an idiot, and will surely make them see your point.

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 7:17 PM 0

Posts: 76; Member since: Mar 08, 2013

yellowish production stars ooh yeahhhh
there is no need for a lumia except the unnecessary resolution
neither it gives the true colors nor it's OIS usable
also takes forever to capture the moment and save it
king is dead
apple slaughtered both lumia's and the cheapsung

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 1:41 PM 1

Posts: 724; Member since: Jun 10, 2014

Whaaat? Are you drunk?
Unnecessary resolution? You obviously don't understand the concept of "oversampling"... FYI, You use the high resolution to create an optimized 5 mp picture. And if you feel the need to zoom in, you can do that without loss of mp. Or you can print a poster-size picture if conditions were optimal.
True colours are a Nokia trademark; you think the world is Samsung-/Apple-oversaturated? Try getting out more...!
OIS kicks ass - check any Lumia low-light image if in doubt.
Yes, the 1020 is slow. Too slow, perhaps. But then again, isn't one great photo better than four mediocre ones...?
Finally, nothing beats xenon flash. How many of your pictures are taken indoors or after dark? Yup...!
I smell a troll.

posted on Oct 28, 2014, 4:44 PM 0

Posts: 724; Member since: Jun 10, 2014

You have a point, to a degree. But honestly, how often do you experience that photo opportunity, where two seconds makes the difference between getting the shot and completely missing it? And how often will that snap actually be good enough to keep...? In my experience hardly ever.

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